Improvement in corn-shellers



S. J. PARMELE.

Corn Sheller.

Paten ted Dec. 24, 1861.

In we tax: 5% w v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON J. PARMELE, OF KILLINGWORTH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-SHELLERS.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIMON J. PARMELE, of Killingworth, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and ImprovedCorn Sheller and Separator; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being badto the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which--Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my invention taken in the linew 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same taken inthe line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

This invention consists in the employment or use of two ribbed cylindershaving different rates of speed,in connection witha yielding corrugatedconcave, yielding screen, and guard-door arranged for joint operation,substantially as hereinafter described, whereby corn may be rapidlyshelled from the ear and the shelled corn separated from the cobs.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a frame, in the upper part of which there are two ribbedcylinders B B, said cylinders being placed one over the other in thesame axial plane. The cylinders B B may be of wood; but the ribs or areof metal and extend the whole length of the cylinders, the ribs beingparallel with each other and placed at equal and suitable distancesapart. The cylinders are rotated with different rates of speed, thelower one B moving about four times quicker than the upper one B. Thismovement is eitected by the spur-wheel a, which is placed on the axis ofthe upper cylinder B, and has a pinion b on the axis of the cylinder Bgearing into it. (See Fig. 2.)

C is a corrugated concave plate, which is placed vertically in the frameA at the feed or induction side of the cylinders B B. The plate Cextends the whole width of the frame A, and it is attached at its upperend to the frame A by a ball-and-socket joint D. The concave plate hassprings E bearing against its lower part, and the pressure of thesesprings may be regulated by set-screws c, the springs having atendencyto keep the plate C pressed toward the cylinders B B, as will be fullyunderstood by referring to Fig.1.

Below the lower cylinder B there is placed a screen F. This screen isformed of a series of parallel curved rods d, connected at their backends at right angles to a rack-bar e, which has an arm f projecting fromits center and extending through a slot 9 in the back of adischarge-spout G in the frame A. A spring H is attached to the end ofarm f, said spring having a tendency to keep the screen F in contactwith the lower cylinder B, as will be fully understood by referring toFig. 1.

At the front side and upper part of the discharge-spout G there is adoor or flap I, the upper part of which is kept in contact with thecylinder B by means of a spring h. In the upper part of the frame A andat the front side of the upper cylinder B there is placed a board 1',which in connection with the concave plate C and end pieces jj form ahopper, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The upper cylinder B isrotated by any convenient power, and the two cylinders are turned in thedirection indicated by the arrows upon them in Fig. 1. The cars of cornpass horizontally down between the plate C and cylinder B, and are keptin contact with the cylinders B B by means of the plate C.

The upper ribbed cylinder B rotates the ear with a moderate movement,while the lower ribbed cylinder B by its comparatively rapid movementeitectually shells the corn from the cob. \Vhen a succeeding ear of cornis placed in the machine, the cob of the previously-inserted ear fallsupon the screen F, and the cob is conveyed around underneath cylinder Bby the rotation of the latter, the cob forcing out the upper part of thedoor or flap. The shelled corn passes down through the screen F, and thedoor or flap I prevents any portion of the shelled corn being thrown outwith the cob, a contingency which would otherwise occur. Thus is will beseen that the corn will not only be shelled from the cob, but theshelled corn and cobs separated and discharged from the machine atdifferent points. In consequence of having the plate C attached to orsuspended in the frameA by a universal joint said plate is allowed toconform or adjust itself to the conical shape of the ear of corn(obliquely with cylinders B B) and insure all parts of the same beingacted upon and perfectly shelled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with one or more ribbed or toothed shelling-cylindersB B a concave pressure-plate O, suspended by a universal joint D,substantially as shown, for the purpose of allowing the plate 0 toadjust itself to the ear of corn while being shelled and insure theperfect shelling of the same, as set forth.

2. The ribbed cylinders B B, concave pressure-plate O, yielding screw F,and door or flap I, all combined and arranged for joint operation, asand for the purpose set forth.

SIMON J. PARMELE. Witnesses:

NORMAN L. PARMELE, ALFRED NORTON.

